Will Greenwood's world team of the year

Sometimes, when a man is not there, you realise how good he is. England have
missed him this year and the Lions really needed him. Boy did Corbisiero
deliver when it mattered. It was tough to ignore Tony Woodcock of New
Zealand, who was at the cutting tough edge of 14 wins from 14 for the All
Blacks. But Alex Corbisiero was so big in the Lions’ wins during the First
and Third Tests that he had to nudge past the Boks Beast Mtawarira and
Blacks. Corbisiero is a big old lump now. The boyish cheeks now have tough
stubble and the body has lost the puppy fat and he is a serious lump. When
the Third Test needed something early he delivered with a try – when the
Wallabies came back the boys needed something and he gave them the scrums
that ripped the heart out of the Australians. Cotton wool is required for
this man in the lead up to 2015.